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Brighton & Hove Albion host Marseille at the AMEX Stadium in their concluding Group B match of 2023-24 UEFA Europa League.
With both teams already qualified for the knockout stage, victory would see Brighton top the group and advance automatically to the Round of 16.
Marseille meanwhile will progress automatically past the Knockout Play-Offs and into the Last 16 if they avoid defeat at the AMEX Stadium.
Team News
Joel Veltman is set to return for Brighton after he missed their 1-1 draw at home to Burnley in the Premier League last weekend, due to personal reasons off the pitch.
Adam Webster (knock) is unlikely to feature but Tariq Lamptey, Pervis Estupinan, Ansu Fati, Danny Welbeck (all muscle), Solly March and Julio Enciso (both knee) remain absent.
Marseille could be without Geoffrey Kondogbia due to an unspecified injury.
Joaquin Correa (ankle) and Valetin Rongier (knee) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Brighton host Marseille at AMEX Stadium in a 8pm GMT kick-off on Thursday 14 December, live on TNT Sport 2 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Brighton drew 2-2 in their only previous competitive meeting against Marseille in October 2023.
- Marseille are visiting Brighton for the first time in all UEFA competitions.
- Three of Joao Pedro’s five goals for Brighton in this group came at home (W1, L1), with two of those three goals having been netted from the penalty spot.
- Chancel Mbemba has scored in each of his last three appearances for Marseille in the Europa League (W2, D1).
Prediction
With a top-two finish guaranteed in the group amidst their inconsistent domestic form, Brighton now could either rest some key players or in my view just go for it and try to top the group which would see them bypass the knockout play-offs and avoid a busy February.
Roberto De Zerbi’s Seagulls however can’t afford to be as wasteful with their chances as they were against Burnley, who looked the better team at times but Brighton just can’t seem to stop scoring with just one blank all season even when they aren’t at their best.
Marseille’s away form meanwhile is pretty poor with just two wins and a single clean sheet on their travels this season, yet they proved that they can be difficult to beat when they ruthlessly punished Brighton’s weak defensive play in the reverse fixture so don’t underestimate them here.
Throw in the attacking quality of both teams and a goalless draw feels unlikely but if Brighton can start on the front foot with the same energetic quality saw against Brentford last week, I can see them having just too much for Marseille to handle.
Prediction: Brighton 2-1 Marseille
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